The Runaway
by TimelordWriter
Summary: The Doctor has been traveling for a long time, but how did it all start? The Doctor embarks on a journey on Gallifrey to battle an unknown monster attacking the Citadel of the Timelords, which leads to his departure of his home planet.


**The Beginning of it All**

The red grass danced in the gentle breeze of Gallifrey. The silver leaves rustled a calming tune almost keep a steady beat. Grey clouds rolled on across the sky changing shape continuously. A young boy lay out in a field, staring at the sky above. His head turned slightly at the sound of running feet.

"Doctor. DOCTOR!"

The boy stood up and brushed the grass from his pants. He walked over to the sound of the talking Timelord. "Master, is that right?"

"Yeah, that's correct," The Master paused and gestured to the large glass dome containing the Capitol. "We're both wanted by Rassilon. I think we both know why."

The Doctor groaned, but started walking to the Capitol anyway. They were being taken for initiation. They would look into the Untempered Schism and there they could gaze at the entire Vortex. The results of this event differed depending upon the person. Some would run and some would go mad.

The two boys slowly walked forward towards their destination. With them both being so young in age, 8 to be exact, they feared what would happen as they look upon the raw power of time and space.

"When exactly do we have to do this?" The Doctor inquired.

"What? Are you going to chicken out of this?" The Master giggled and continued, "When the full moon rises."

Soon they came to the Great Doors of the Citadel. They opened with ease as the children stepped in. The dome seemed to be in silence. It was in fact almost empty, except for those of the Timelord Government. The rest of the civilization would be waiting for them at the Untempered Schism.

The two boys walked into a large room, hearing only the sound of their heals tapping lightly against the hard floor. The noise echoed and vibrated, bouncing off of the walls of the room. Both The Master and The Doctor continued on, having seen the amazing room daily.

Finally, they came to the room they had both been dreading. They stood staring at the doors to the room that would change their lives. Afraid to go in, they just stood there muddling over what to do. The Master took a gulp of air as if it would be his last.

Before they could even knock on the door a voice from within beckoned to them. "Come in!"

The doors gently glided open as two guards inside opened them. Then, without command, the small boys walked in and sat upon the two bare chairs residing in the center of the room. Both pairs of feet hovered above the ground as they waited on their orders.

The Council of the Timelord Government began murmuring to each other, deciding the young boys' fates. They continued on for several minutes, agitating The Master who was not very patient. Eventually, Rassilon cleared his throat and started to speak.

"Each of you will be taken separately to the Untempered Schism. There you will look into the vortex. Master you will go first and you, Doctor," He paused as he turned to The Doctor. "You will stay here and await your turn."

Rassilon walked towards the door with The Master at his heals like a dog to his master. The Doctor remained in his seat, which wasn't very comfortable. He squirmed around as if getting off of the chair would bring bad luck.

He groaned. "This is going to be a long wait… " He muttered to himself.

Minutes felt like hours, and the minutes added up to hours. Soon, The Doctor's head bobbed down and a quiet snore emitted from his mouth.

Once a second moon had risen to its full height, the doors burst open as Rassilon marched inside. The Doctor bolted upwards and stood up nearly knocking the chair on which he had sat. He stood up straight and still, as if he were a soldier prepared for battle.

"Your time has come," Rassilon bellowed in a forceful voice. "You should know the procedure by now. Follow me." And with that he turned to leave once again, but with The Doctor instead.

The Doctor followed carefully behind Rassilon, looking down at the ground, but able to see Rassilon's feet in his peripherals. Being sure not to step on anyone's feet, he kept quiet a distance between them.

The Doctor's destination was nearing, and he feared the outcome. He thought himself only a child, nothing more. He could never have himself imagined traveling through time or saving the universe. He thought himself a lonely child, worthless and tiny compared to his elders and even the universe itself.

The Doctor almost collided with Rassilon who had stopped right before the Untempered Schism. He spun around and faced The Doctor. Before speaking he cleared his throat with a loud coughing noise.

"You will walk to the Untempered Schism with me and the Co-President behind you. You will then look into the Vortex, until it is time."

The Doctor almost didn't want to ask the question forming in his mind. "Umm… When will I know it is time?"

Rassilon stared at him like that was the most stupid question to ask. "You will know when the time comes. Now go forward and await your destiny!"

He said this with such force The Doctor almost fell backwards. He soon regained his balance and continued on, his feet almost unwillingly taking him to his doom

Finally, he came upon the Untempered Schism, the hole seeming to cut through the air around him. The Doctor stared in awe at the hole he had been dreading so dearly. Soon he realized that in doing what he was told, he got sucked into the deception the Timelords had created.

He began to forget all else around him, time moved on and others began to bore. The Doctor stood frozen, his mind emptying and filling with new thoughts he had no control over. New ideas began forming and he wanted to do things he had never before. He began to feel as though the home of the Timelords wasn't the right place for him, like he should see new places.

Then everything changed. He left immediately and came into possession of a brand new item as part of the initiation- a sonic screwdriver.


End file.
